Abstract 9311: Disparities in Resource Utilization by Families of Children With Complex Cardiac Conditions

Abstract

Introduction: There are limited data documenting the various sources of medical information that families use to learn about complex pediatric cardiac conditions. Our study aims to characterize the types of resources families use to learn about complex cardiac conditions and to identify disparities in the use of these resources. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that there are significant variations in the types of resources utilized by families from different educational and socioeconomic backgrounds. Methods: A survey evaluating resources families use to better understand complex cardiac conditions was administered to caretakers and pediatric patients at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital. Pediatric patients with prior diagnoses of congenital heart disease, cardiac arrhythmia, and/or heart failure were included. Caretakers’ levels of education (less than 16 years vs. 16 years or more) and patients’ medical insurance types (public vs. private) were compared to the utilization of resources. Results: Surveys completed by 137 caretakers and 27 pediatric patients were analyzed. Websites were utilized by 72% of caretakers and 56% of pediatric patients. A significantly higher percentage of responders with private insurance and higher education reported using websites, healthcare professionals, and their personal network to learn about pediatric cardiac lesions (by insurance p=0.009, p=0.001, p=0.006; by education p=0.022, p<0.001, p=0.018). A significantly larger percentage of responders with private medical insurance and with higher education reported using a digital device such as a computer or tablet compared to responders with public medical insurance and less than 16 years of education (p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). Additionally, a significantly larger percentage of caretakers with higher education reported using a smartphone when compared to caretakers with less than 16 years of education (p=0.006). Conclusions: Both level of education and insurance status correlate with the utilization of informative resources and digital devices by families seeking to learn more about complex cardiac conditions in children.